UNIVERSITY PARK — Ready, set, run with Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA).

More than 2,500 runners and walkers are expected to participate in the 17th annual Paterno Family Beaver Stadium Run, presented by Sheetz. The run will take place at 11 a.m. Sunday at Penn State’s University Park campus.

Runners and walkers of all ages and abilities will have the chance to participate in a 5K run or the Mount Nittany Health 2-mile Family Fun Walk.

The Run will take participants through Penn State’s scenic campus before entering the famous Beaver Stadium tunnel and finishing on the 50-yard line of the Nittany Lions’ home turf.

Matt Campbell, Penn State’s Head Football Coach, will be waiting at the finish line to high five and congratulate participants as they finish strong.

“We are incredibly honored to serve as the presenting sponsor of the Beaver Stadium Run and to continue supporting the extraordinary achievements of Special Olympics athletes,” said Jackie Foderaro, Community Partnerships Manager at Sheetz.

“For more than a decade, this partnership has reminded us of the power of inclusion and community, and we are proud to stand alongside Special Olympics Pennsylvania in creating meaningful opportunities for athletes across the state.”

Runners and walkers can register to participate in this unique experience for $40; and children under the age of 9 are free.

The first, second and third place overall finishers will receive Sheetz gift cards valued at $100 (1st Place), $50 (2nd Place) and $25 (3rd Place) along with their respective medals.

Additionally, all participants will receive an official Beaver Stadium Run T-shirt, bottled water and other refreshments. Participants can also raise funds online for added incentives by creating their own fundraising page to garner support from their friends, family and co-workers.

Online registration for the Paterno Family Beaver Stadium Run never closes! All participants will be able to register online until the start of the race by visiting www.StadiumRun.org. Members of the public can also sponsor a participant or make a general donation.

Race day registration opens at 7:30 a.m. at Medlar Field (701 Porter Rd, University Park, PA); and the run will begin at approximately 11 a.m. in the vicinity of the Bryce Jordan Center on Curtin Road.

Access to the field is for participants only. Spectators can enter the stadium through Gate B at 11 a.m. for available seating.

Proceeds from the run will help underwrite the cost of participation for nearly 2,000 athletes at the 2026 SOPA Summer Games held at Penn State University in June. Athletes from all corners of the state will gather in State College to compete in six sports at SOPA’s largest statewide competition.

In addition to competition, athletes will also have access to life-changing health screenings during the event.

In addition to the Sheetz and the Paterno families, the 2026 Beaver Stadium Run major event sponsors include: Mt. Nittany Health, Family Fun Walk Sponsor, PAM Health and The Misitano Family. A full list of Beaver Stadium Run Sponsors can be found here. The event has raised over $4 million since it’s inception in 2010.

Visit www.StadiumRun.org for more information. To learn more about volunteerism and sponsorship opportunities,

contact Eric at ecushing@specialolympicspa.org.